So...Treasure Island vs. The Hobbit??

[shadowkat]

I am amusing myself a bit with a negligible debate on Good Reads regarding which book is better: Robert Louis Stevensen's Treasure Island or JRR Tolkien's "The Hobbit". [Okay briefly amusing, gave up on it when the whole thing got woefully academic and people began taking themselves a bit too seriously.]

Personally I find Stevenson ponderous going and would rather read anything else. Literally anything else. The phone book comes to mind. Not to mention highly over-rated. But mileage clearly varies. Also, I am admittedly not a pirate fan. Never got the appeal to be honest. Even in historical romance novels, found them boring. Except for a female pirate - I liked the female pirate, but can't remember the book it was in. Pirate novels are awfully dull, all that time at sea, whining about well being at sea. There is so much more going on in The Hobbit.

Not entirely sure the two are even comparable. One is a classic adventure novel written in the 1800s, the other is a classic fantasy novel written in the 20th Century. Both are classics.

So flist? Which would you pick if pushed? Treasure Island (Long John Silver/Jim Hawkins) or The Hobbit (Bilbo Baggins, Gollum and Gandalf)

Considering I've never really made it through Treasure Island...this really wasn't hard for me.

Here's the thread, in case you are at all interested: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/948777-the-hobbit-or-treasure-island?type=topic#comment_form

Comments

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on how much you like 18th century writing (I don't - painful part of being an English Lit Major was being forced to read it - eeek).
And how much you like Pirates...just don't understand the appeal.

Tolkien created a world. Created hobbits. RLS didn't create anything - all based on real people at the time.

[cactuswatcher.livejournal.com]

The Hobbit is good, I just like the other better. On the other hand, RLS's Kidnapped isn't worth wading through that painful prose.

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

For basic plot, I probably enjoy the adventure of Treasure Island more. But I've never read the original book, I've only seen adaptations, so I'm not sure it's a fair comparison. They really are two different things entirely.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Yes, try to read it and get back to me. ;-)